Six-day Convention of Reform Rabbis Starts Today in Colorado

June 23, 1953

ESTES PARK, Colorado (Jun. 22)

More than 350 Reform rabbis arrived here today to participate in the 64th annual convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis which starts here tomorrow. The convention, which wills last six days, will be devoted to discussions on the future of American Reform Judaism.

The convention will also discuss a new psychological approach to Jewish-Christian relationships. Major Sessions will deal with modern Bible translations; the future of the Reform Jewish theological school; practical problems of ministry and the goals of Jewish religious education.

The most heated issue at the convention will be the proposal to merge the Jewish Institute of Religion with the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati, and require that the first two years of rabbinical training be taken at JIR in New York, the next three at Cincinnati and the final year at JIR. Rabbi Louis Newman, of New York, has warned that implementation of the HUC-JIR “Unification Plan” may lead to an opposition bid to build another Reform seminary.